Starry Nights
by Awesome Rapidash
Summary: This story is based off of the DS version. Leia has only recently come to the human world and some of its customs still confuse the young mermaid. Please read and review! Jack x Leia.


_This story is based off of the DS version. Leia has only recently come to the human world and some of its customs still confuse the young mermaid. Jack x Leia. _

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Harvest Moon, Marvelous Interactive and Natsume do. _

_Special thanks to __**Peach the Hedgehog**__ for her help, you rock! _

_**Starry Nights**_

Leia swims to the far side of her large saltwater pool and pauses momntarly by the edge. Stretching out her orange colored tail she allows herself to sink slowly into the waters depths. The soothing warmth of the water helps to ease her mind and to relax her body. The water is after all, her home.

The young mermaid had become so curious about the activities of the human world after being stranded there during a violent storm. So much so that even once she'd recovered from the injuries she'd suffered when she was washed ashore, that she had remained in the human world. She was determined to learn all that she could about the strange beings known as humans.

Daryl, Forget Me Not Valley's quirky scientist had found the young mermaid the morning after the storm. He had taken her to his home and tended to her wounds. Currently she resides in a large saltwater aquarium in the basement of the scientist's labaroatory.

Of course she had befriended the eccentric scientist almost immediately, finding his erratic mannerisms and quirky way of life quite entertaining. No one in the mermaid world was anything like him and she wanted to experience more.

But Daryl wasn't the only person she'd made friends with. Jack, the brown haired farmer from Rose Farm had met her shortly after befriending the scientist. They'd hit it off almost immediately. Leia found him and the idea of growing crops and raising animals so very interesting. Jack was a nice person too, always visiting her and even bringing her gifts! She felt her cheeks warm as she thought about the handsome young farmer. Settling at the bottom of her pool, she thought back to something that Daryl had said earlier that week. It was about something called a Starry Night Festival.

"_I wonder if Jack can explain this custom to me."_ She ponders curiously.

As she relaxes in the depths of her temporary home she hears someone descending the stairs into the basement of the lab. Swimming cautiously to the surface she peers over the edge at the arrival and is relieved to see Daryl standing in front of the large plastic tub.

Quickly she notices something different about the eccentric scientist. His normal rumpled look has been replaced by a neat white button up shirt and a pair of pressed brown pants. His hair was even combed! The mermaid eyes the scientist wryly.

"Why are you dressed so differently today?" The young mermaid asks curiously.

"Tonight is the Starry Night Festival that I was telling you about and I'm going to be accompanying Flora to it." He explains happily. "Do you think these clothes are appropriate for such an event?"

"Well, I think that you look quite handsome like that. In fact I'd be quite surprised if Flora disagrees." Leia replies. "I'm sure she'll be happy to see you and to accompany you to the festival."

"Thank you Leia, your words are very encouraging to me as I'm rather nervous about this." Daryl says softly. "As you know, I'm not a very social person."

"Just act like yourself and you'll do fine." The mermaid encourages. Daryl smiles back at her and nods his head in agreement.

The sound of the door opening upstairs draws their attention. They watch curiously as the new arrival descends the stairway into the basement. Jack turns the corner and smiles at the two before him.

"Hi guys." Jack greets cheerfully. He looks over the nervous scientist curiously. "Hey Daryl, you're looking good! Flora's a lucky girl to be going to the festival with you."

"Um…, thank you Jack. I do hope that my attire is appropriate for this event." The scientist responds.

"Don't worry, you look good and I'm sure that Flora will be happy to see you." Jack replies.

Daryl gives them a grin and heads towards the staircase. "Well, I'm off then." He says before beginning to ascend the stairs.

Jack watches as the elder man leaves. He then turns his attention to the pretty green haired mermaid smiling back at him.

"Jack, what is this festival that Daryl is speaking of?" She asks curiously.

The brown haired farmer smiles back at the girl. "The Starry Night Festival is a time when couples go to the top of Mothers Hill and gaze at the stars together." He explains.

"Really, I wish that I could see these things you call the stars." Leia replies.

"Haven't you ever seen the starts before?" Jack questions.

"Indeed I have, but I never realized that humans hold such a high regard for them." Leia says plainly.

"The stars are a symbol of romance for us." Jack adds. "That's why we celebrate them with this festival."

"Oh, OK I understand." The mermaid replies softly. "I'd like to look at the stars like that sometime."

Jack considers her statement for a moment and a smile appears on his face. "How would you like to go to the festival with me?" He asks in a hopeful voice.

Leia takes a moment to think about the question. "I'd love to go with you." She chirps happily. "But if I cannot venture beyond the confines of the lab, how could I possibly accompany you to the top of a mountain?"

"We don't have to go to Mothers Hill." Jack answers. "We can do our star gazing from the beach."

"But what if someone sees me?" Leia asks in a worried voice. "As you know I wish to keep my presence here a secret."

"Well since the vast majority of the people go to Mothers Hill and the rest either go to the Blue Bar or just stay at home, the beach will be deserted so there is no need to worry." Jack answers confidently.

"OK, since there is no risk, I'd love to go to the beach with you." Leia says happily.

"Great! I have to take care of some things back on my farm so I'll come back in about and hour to pick you up."

"That sounds fine." Leia says happily. 'I'll prepare us some nice snacks until then."

"I'll see you then." Jack says as he heads towards the stairs.

Leia listens as he ascends the stairs and exits the lab. She then hops out of the tub and makes her way over to the kitchen area next to her watery home. She opens the metallic silver fridge and takes out a large bluish green colored fish. She grabs a sharp knife begins to fillet the fish into thin strips of sashimi. She places the slices of fish into a clear plastic container along with several generous portions of rice. She then takes the container and places it into a light brown whicker picnic basket. She adds some plates and utensils as well as some white cloth napkins. After a quick check she places the basket on the table.

With the snacks all finished the young mermaid makes her way back to her tub and climbs back inside. She swims down to a large cream colored clamshell in the corner and opens it. She removes the purple seashell accents from her hair and begins to comb out her long emerald green hair with the pink colored brush she removed from the clamshell.

The hour passes quickly and once again Jack re-joins Leia in the basement of the lab. He carefully helps the mermaid to climb onto his back. Leia wraps her arms around the farmer and Jack grabs the basket of snacks. Together they exit the lab and head towards the beach.

As expected the beach is deserted much to Leia's relief.

Jack gently sets the mermaid down on the cool sand of the beach. He then opens his backpack and removes a red and white checkered blanket. He spreads the blanket out and helps Leia to reposition herself onto it. Jack takes a seat next to the pretty mermaid and gently places his arm around her.

Once again Leia feels her cheeks begin to burn. She looks up at the starry sky in wonderment. To her, the stars had been nothing more that a means to navigate in the vastness of the ocean. But now, here she was sitting together with Jack on the beach. She looked up at the small points of light glimmering brightly above her, wondering what they really meant.

"They're very pretty." She says softly. "I wonder what they really are." She adds.

"Some people believe that the stars are the souls of those who have departed this world." Jack answers. "Although I think Daryl might have a different opinion of that idea."

"Really, why is that?" Leia asks curiously.

"Daryl is a man of science, so to him, everything must have a logical scientific explanation." Jack replies. "To him the stars are probably just bodies of glowing gases off somewhere in the distant sky."

"Then why would he want to gaze at them if he doesn't consider them to be anything of importance?" The young mermaid asks curiously.

"So that he can spend a romantic evening with Flora, that's why." Jack responds. "He may seem like he's all business, but beneath that white lab coat beats the heart of a man in love."

"Oh, I see." Leia giggles. 'Does that mean that _we_ are on a romantic evening as well?" She asks sweetly.

"Yep it sure does." Jack replies, leaning forward and kissing her cheek sweetly.

Leia smiles back at Jack and leans her head onto his shoulder. "Please tell me more about the stars." She coos softly.

"Well, do you see that cluster of stars just to our right? That's something we call a constellation." He explains. "Many of the constellations have special names but I'm not sure of most of them. However, I do know that one is called the Big Dipper. If you connect the stars it forms the shape of a large dipping spoon."

Leia takes a moment and traces the pattern out with her finger. "I see it!' She chirps excitedly. "I never knew the stars could be formed into the shape of objects." She adds happily.

"Yep, see that over there. That's called the moon." Jack says, directing her attention to the bright full moon shining to the left of them.

"It's very pretty." Leia replies as she gazes at the moons soft glow. "It almost seems as though I can reach out and touch it." She adds in wonderment.

"That's true, but it pales in comparison to your beauty." Jack says sweetly as he looks into Leia's pretty blue eyes.

"T…, thank you Jack." The young mermaid stammers.

There is a gentle breeze blowing in from the ocean and Jack notices Leia shiver slightly in the cool wind. "Are you cold?" He asks in a concerned voice.

"Just a little, the oceans waters are warm and I'm still not quite used to the cooler air here." She answers.

Jack gently pulls his mermaid girlfriend closer and wraps his arm tightly around her shoulder. With his free hand he softly rubs his hand along her tail, feeling the soft scales covering it.

"How about we have a snack now? I made us some sashimi and sticky rice." Leia says as she reaches for the picnic basket.

"Yeah OK, that would be nice." Jack replies, sounding a bit disappointed.

Leia opens the basket and takes out the container with the food. She places it down on the blanket. She reaches back into the whicker basket and removes two plain white ceramic plates. Opening the container the green haired girl places a portion of the fish and rice on one plate and hands it to Jack. She then prepares a plate for herself.

"This is really good!" Jack chirps happily. "You really are a good cook Leia." He adds sweetly.

"Thank you, my mom taught me how to make these dishes." Leia replies, sounding a little sad.

"You miss her don't you?" Jack asks compassionately.

"Yes, it's been quite difficult for me to be separated from her during my time here in your world." She adds softly. "But being here with you Jack has made it much easier for me to cope with it."

"I'm glad." Jack replies happily. "I'm happy to be here with you too."

Jack and Leia sit and enjoy the beauty of the shimmering star filled sky for a little while longer before finally deciding to end the evening and return to the lab. Jack helps Leia back into her tub and then places the picnic basket on the table.

"I had a wonderful time tonight Jack." Leia coos sweetly. "Thank you for showing me the stars."

"You're very welcome." The farmer replies. He gently puts his arms around the young mermaid and draws her close.

Leia looks up into Jack's deep brown eyes and begins to lean forward to kiss the brown haired farmer. Jack sees her approach and meets her half way; their lips touch a moment later in a passionate kiss.

"Good night Leia." Jack says sweetly. "I'll come by tomorrow for a visit."

"OK, I'll see you then." The mermaid chirps happily. "Good night Jack, sleep well!"

"You sleep well too Leia." He adds before heading up the stairs and out of the lab.

Leia smiles as she settles down in the bottom of her tub and gets ready for bed. As she lies down and closes her eyes she hopes that her dreams are visited by a certain young farmer named Jack.

_Yay I finished this story! I've wanted to do this for sometime now and finally got it done! I hope everyone likes this and as always please let me know your thoughts and comments with a review. Ja ne! _


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